My favourite books of the year

2015 has been a great bookish year for me. I started this blog six months ago and already I've discovered so many wonderful new authors so choosing my top ten books of the year has been difficult to say the least.

10. #Pleaseretweet - Emily Benet

This was a fun and current read that shows how social media can affect your life and may even give you a few hints and tips on how not to use it!











9. The Girl With No Past - Kathryn Croft

A very clever dual time novel where the protagonists background is slowly revealed and you can feel the tension mounting with each turn of the page.











8. Sleep Peacefully - NC Marshall

A wonderfully written, slow burning psychological thriller.














7. Waiting For The Bee Stings - Calvin Wade

A true gem of a book telling a heartwarming story of how life can twist and turn unexpectedly.












6. Three-And-A-Half-Heartbeats - Amanda Prowse

A beautifully written, poignant novel that will have you smiling one minute and reaching for the tissues the next.












5. Center of Gravity - Laura McNeill

This dark and disturbing novel will have you on the edge of your seat.












4. Chance - Peter Dudgeon

The first review that I posted on my blog, but that's not why it's on my list. This fast paced thriller will make you want to put real life on hold so that you can read it.













3. Every Breath You Take - Bianca Sloane

A novel of two halves. What starts out as a seemingly innocent story of boy meets girls turns into one of the darkest and most disturbing books that I've read.












2. Flowers For The Dead - Barbara Copperthwaite

A beautifully written book about a serial killer which will unnerve you but you'll be willing the killer to find what he's looking for.














1. Out Of The Darkness - Katy Hogan

A truly wonderful and thought provoking novel about life after death, friendship, redemption and love. This is the type of book that stays with you long after you've turned the final page.












So there you have it, a list of my favourite books out of all those that I've read and reviewed here on my blog. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy all the other books that I've read and reviewed, it's just that these particular stories have stayed with me long after I finished reading them for one reason or another.

I'm looking forward to lots more wonderful books next year and I hope that you'll enjoy stopping by to read my reviews in 2016.

Merry Christmas!

I'll be taking a short break from posting reviews over the next couple of weeks as it's Christmas. Saying that I'm currently trying to put together a list of the top ten books that I've read in the last six months which I'm planning on posting next week. Despite the fact that I've read almost 100 books this year I've chosen to only pick books that I've reviewed here on my blog.

I've only been blogging for six months and during this short period of time I've connected with some really lovely people from the blogosphere, publishers and authors. I'd like to thank all of the bloggers for their help and support, the publishers for the books and last, but by no means least, the authors for writing such amazing stories.

That of course leaves just one person to thank and that's you dear readers. I never imagined that I would get so many people coming to read my humble little blog and leave me comments. You don't know how much it means to me to know that so many of you take the time to read my reviews.

            May your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill,
                  And may the year ahead be full of contentment and joy.
                           Wishing you all a Merry Christmas.

Melophobia - James Morris

Melophobia is another great novel from James Morris. Set in a dystopian America where music has become illegal as it's believed to encourage sin and anarchy and replaced by muzak (specially composed music deemed suitable by the Government's Broadcast Standards) and anyone found to be listening, or even worse distributing music, is severely punished.

Merrin is a Patrol Officer and her latest assignment is to go undercover to track down "The Source" who is distributing music and arranging underground meetings for the different clans of music lovers that now exist. Little does she know that this mission will turn her world upside down and make her question everything she's ever known.

This is a well written and thought provoking read which makes you realise just how much we take music for granted and yet it's something I'm sure most of us never consciously think about. It also covers the subjects of censorship and government control. Although this novel is aimed at the YA audience, don't let that put you off as I think that this can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. The characters are believable (although I would have liked to have had a bit more back story on a few), the storyline is well paced and full of twists and turns that keep you engaged. This is the second novel I've read by James Morris (you can read my review of What Lies Within here) and I'm looking forward to seeing what he's got lined up for us next.

With kind thanks to author James Morris for the review copy.

Flowers For The Dead - Barbara Copperthwaite

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a serial killer?

If you've answered yes to the above question then Flowers for the Dead is just the book for you.

Right from the start you know that Adam Bourne is a serial killer and that he will kill again but what you don't know is why. What has made this seemingly quiet and unassuming man stalk innocent women and then go on to kill them?

After recently killing his latest victim, Adam is looking for her replacement when he spots Laura at one of his usual hunting grounds and so the cycle begins again but this time, we as readers, are able to follow the story from start to finish.

There are so many reasons why I loved this book I'm not sure where to start. The story is beautifully written and the way that both characters backgrounds are slowly revealed is so effortlessly done you're not distracted from the main story at all, it helps you to understand them and adds depth. The build up of tension as I watched Adam's behaviour escalate and finding out what he'd done to his previous victims was disturbing when all the time at the back of my mind I kept thinking "There are real people out there like this".  Adam's relationship with his gran melted my heart, the way that she was the only one who really loved him and how she taught him his extensive knowledge of flowers which he would use later on in his life, was wonderful to read.

I could go on and on with this but I'll let you find out for yourselves what a fantastic book this is. There is one last thing though, this book will definitely be featuring in my top ten reads of 2015.

Cover reveal: An Unfamiliar Murder - Jane Isaac

An Unfamiliar Murder was originally published in January 2012. Author Jane Issac is re-releasing this great novel in March 2016 with a brand new cover which you can see above. I read this a few years back and it's a gripping read so if you haven't had the pleasure of reading any of Jane's books I can highly recommend this one as a good place to start.

The blurb
Arriving home from a routine day at work, Anna Cottrell has no idea that her life is about to change forever. But discovering the stabbed body of a stranger in her flat, then becoming prime suspect in a murder inquiry is only the beginning. Her persistent claims of innocence start to crumble when new evidence links her irrevocably with the victim...
Leading her first murder investigation, DCI Helen Lavery unravels a trail of deception, family secrets and betrayal. When people close to the Cottrell family start to disappear, Lavery is forced into a race against time. Can she catch the killer before he executes his ultimate victim?

 
About the author

Jane Isaac lives with her husband and daughter in rural Northamptonshire, UK where she can often be found trudging over the fields with her Labrador, Bollo. Her first novel, An Unfamiliar Murder, was nominated as best mystery in the 'eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards 2013.' The sequel, The Truth Will Out, was selected as a ‘Thriller of the Month –April 2014’ by E-Thriller.com. Her latest book, Before It’s Too Late, was published by Legend Press on 1^st June 2015.

In 2016 Jane will be re-releasing An Unfamiliar Murder on 1^st of March. Also, Legend Press will be publishing her new title, Beneath the Ashes, on 1^st November 2016.

Jane was runner up ‘Writers Bureau Writer of the Year 2013’ and her short stories have appeared in several anthologies. When she is not writing, Jane loves to travel and spend time with her family. She believes life should be an adventure.

Connect with Jane at www.janeisaac.co.uk .

 

The Darkest Secret - Alex Marwood

The Darkest Secret is a dual time novel telling the story of the build up and aftermath of when three-year-old identical twin Coco goes missing.

Sean Jackson has been married several times so his family is a complicated one, but nevertheless they've agreed to meet up for the weekend of his 50th birthday along with friends and their children. The celebrations come to an abrupt end though when Coco disappears.

Fast forward ten years and Sean has died and the dysfunctional family and friends are attending his funeral. Mila has lost contact with family members over the years but she finds herself unable to turn down her former stepmother's request to take her daughter Ruby, Coco's surviving twin, to their father's funeral.

Initially I had trouble getting to grips with this book as I had trouble differentiating between all the different characters and I can honestly say that I've never met so many narcissist's in one novel before. I carried on though and once I got to grips with all the different people I felt a compulsion to keep reading so that I could find out what happened to little Coco and finally put her to rest, something which some of the characters seemed to be able to do easier than others.

The Darkest Secret is a well written and well constructed book but sadly it just wasn't for me.

With kind thanks to NetGalley and publishers Sphere for the review copy.

The Mafia Hit Man's Daughter - Linda Scarpa, Linda Rosencrance

The Mafia Hit Man's Daughter is the memoirs of Linda Scarpa whose father was Gregory Scarpa, a made man in the Columbo crime family and known as "The Grim Reaper".

Right from the outset this book pulls no punches, opening with Linda almost being sexually assaulted by the driver who was supposed to be taking her to school.
 
As a young child Linda grew up thinking a mild-mannered man named Charlie Schiro was her dad, and that “Greggy” was just a friend of the family. It was only as a teenager that she learnt the truth: Her mother was Greg Scarpa’s mistress, and Linda and her brother Joey were his children. Her father was a legendary character who didn't think twice about discussing murder plots and shootouts in front of his children and Linda lived in fear of telling him things in case there were repercussions.

This was an insightful glimpse into life growing up in a family with mafia connections as well as an absorbing tale of love and betrayal. Although I enjoyed reading it I found myself sometimes confused as the events being recounted weren't always in chronological order. Saying that though, if you have an interest in stories relating to members of the Mafia and their lifestyle then this could be a book for you. I take my hat off to Linda Scarpa for having the courage to put it down on paper.

The Mafia Hitman's Daughter is published on December 29th and is available for pre-order now here.

With kind thanks to NetGalley and publishers Kensington Books for the review copy.